Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
After releasing a critical dud last fall with its first major smartwatch release, the Galaxy Gear, Samsung surprised a lot of folks in the industry when it announced an attractive new entrant into the wearable computing category, the Gear Fit, just a few months later.
Thousands of recent college graduates are entering the workforce this week in Japan, and they have done well just to survive the grueling interview process. While most of them are probably content just to have a job lined up at all, a lucky few have already landed their dream job just out of school.
Landing a job in the IT industry is a particularly difficult feat. But if you do manage to score one, you’re guaranteed a high starting salary, at least according to Japanese variety show Akko ni Omakase. This Sunday’s broadcast featured a segment listing the starting salaries for new workers at eight popular IT companies in Japan. How do you think those salaries stack up against one another?
As we’ve talked about before, overtime is pretty common in Japan. At a startling number of companies, it is not considered in the least bit unusual to find staff, who are contracted and only being paid to be there between 8:30 am and 6 pm, still at their desks until 9, 10, or 11 at night. Others may leave the office a little earlier, but are often wrangled into drinking with the boss or entertaining clients until all hours. Others still even work on weekends and, returning home late at night, only see their family while they’re sleeping.
Dutiful partners may grin and bear it when their husband or wife is absent from home for such enormous stretches of time, but kids only speak the truth. Like this little one who, on her father returning home seemingly for the first time in a long time, greeted him like you might a guest or customer to a restaurant…
April is upon us again, which means the start of a new school and work year in Japan. So perhaps it’s fitting that Fuji TV’s morning informational show Nonstop! recently aired a segment about new company employees. But its focus wasn’t on just any new recruits to the workplace…it was about monster recruits! Read on to find out what kinds of unthinkable behavior shocked netizens and made them lament the rude ways of the younger generation.
Well, good afternoon/evening/morning/day everyone! Today we’re going to talk about Japanese greetings and what they really mean.
Just as in English, “Konnichiwa” or “Good day” is a greeting that is technically an idiom with a complex and near-forgotten past. Just as English language greetings tend to stem from bastardizations of foreign loan words and/or full sentences that have been gradually shortened over the years, “konnichiwa” is actually a shortened version of a full and meaningful greeting, because, if anything, human beings are a lazy sort with a bad habit of cutting corners whenever possible.
How do you take the best selfies on your phone? In Japan, for girls especially, pulling down your chin, turning up your eyes and giving your best duck lips is said to be the standard technique for photographing the most beautiful you.
BUT! This time we want to overthrow the established theory and introduce the ULTIMATE selfie technique. The person providing these tips today is a Japanese TV and movie star who’s a pro at taking flattering pictures of herself. So, directly from the star herself, the way to take the ultimate selfie is…?!?!?!
Gundam fans worldwide, including those in the industry, are taking to Twitter, Pixiv, and other social media to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam, which began airing on April 7, 1979. The messages have been including artwork, photos of gunpla, and more.
Here are some of our favorites:
We’ve seen what some lucky Japanese students get up to at their crazy cosplay graduation ceremonies, and now we bring you an entrance ceremony extravaganza! New students enrolling at Kinki University in Osaka on April 5th were treated to a stadium-style light show and idol dance performance conceived by Tsunku, the producer behind idol supergroup Morning Musume.
While some Japanese netizens took to social media to question the organisers’ use of funds in throwing such an extravagant party for students who are, after all, only just entering the school, the university offered up an original reason for putting on the spectacular show: to encourage the one-third of incoming students who hadn’t picked Kinki University as their first choice.
We all know Maru. We love him, watch his videos on YouTube and then wonder how we can make our own animals as amazing as he is. This time around, Maru and his companion Hana find themselves with a new box. The newest challenger is long and rectangular with a perfect circle cut out of one end. What will happen next?!?!?! Drum roll please!!!!
Recently, we talked about how Japanese, while a tough language to learn, isn’t quite as difficult as some horror stories make it out to be. Still, if English is your native language, certain Japanese grammar rules, like saying “wa” and “o” to mark the subject and object of your sentences, can seem like a major hassle.
With practice, though, these things start to become automatic. Even better, the Japanese language is filled with incredibly handy phrases that we’d love to import into English.
In the age of affordable digital cameras and programs that can make even photos and footage taken by a team of cavorting chimps look artistic and cool, footage of popular destinations like Tokyo are ten-a-penny online. But this video from Simon Boulsson is not just noteworthy by stop-and-gawp-worthy.
Titled “TOKYO REVERSE”, the video is set to a pumping soundtrack and takes us on a brief tour of some of the capital city’s most famous spots. The views are of course stunning, but as its title suggests there’s even more to the video than that.
As cultural attitudes continue to evolve in Japan, some groups that have spent decades being socially ostracized are finally seeing the tides turn in their favor. For example, while the covers of most men’s fashion magazines are still plastered with photos of incredibly slender guys, the country has recently been showing some love for heavyset males as well.
One demographic that still tends to have a hard time landing a date, though, are the otaku, Japan’s catch-all term for obsessive fans of anime, video games, computers, and anything traditionally geeky. But could the popular image of otaku as the bottom feeders of the dating pool be a case of women overlooking their hidden merits as boyfriend material?
In honor of the Denny’s restaurant chain opening its first Japanese location 40 years ago, Denny’s Japan will be offering a special “American Fair” menu starting on April 15. Of course, such an announcement raises questions about just what exactly this American Fair involves and whether it’s authentic or not.
Fortunately, we here at RocketNews24 were able to enlist the services of a real, live American to specially sample the menu for us to tell us whether Denny’s offerings were anything like the real deal! This young man is none other than IKE, a member of the six-man Japanese comedy group/band Choshinjuku who was born in New York and raised in Seattle. Ike vowed that if the menu didn’t live up to his expectations, he would send a message to the restaurant manager and shut down the whole campaign.
Do you think that Denny’s American Fair menu passed his test?
In plenty of situations, Japan’s reliance on public transportation is a life-saver. Need some extra time to study for that test in first period? Pull out your notebook and review on the train to school. Had a few drinks too many? Park yourself in a seat on the subway, take a 30-minute nap, and arrive at the station with just enough power to walk home and get your key in the door.
Now, a railway in Chiba Prefecture is looking to give a hand not just to procrastinating students and heavy drinkers (who are, of course, often one and the same), but to young lovers, too, with its special priority seats for couples. That’s right, singletons, you just got one more reason to hate clingy couples.
Barely a week after branding her a “blabbering peasant woman,” North Korea has labelled South Korean leader Park Geun-hye a “repulsive wench” via its state-run media. Not only that, but the same quoted source also alluded to the fact that the president has no children of her own, and said that she “makes a mockery of sacred motherhood.”
We’ve previously seen Japan’s amazing cat islands and rabbit island, and today, we’re excited to show you yet another animal wonderland, though this time it’s not in Japan!
An uninhabited island, Big Major Cay, located in Exuma of the Bahamas, is home to what are arguably the world’s happiest pigs! More commonly known as Pig Island or Pig Beach by the locals, this tropical getaway is famous for none other than its adorable swimming pigs!
As we’ve seen before, Hollywood stars who ordinarily wouldn’t be seen dead in a commercial in their homeland for fear of damaging their reputation as a serious actor aren’t quite so shy when it comes to commercials in Japan. With Japanese companies eager to push stacks of cash stars’ way in exchange for endorsing their products, occasionally a big-name actor will pop up on billboards over the famous Shibuya scramble intersection and on primetime TV.
This week, smirking silver fox George Clooney follows in Leonardo DiCaprio‘s footsteps by lending his face to a Japanese commercial, in this case one for Kirin Brewery Company’s Green Label brand of beer. Clooney is no stranger to ads even at home, but Kirin’s commercial – which sees the actor painting a house and communicating with a small bird – is kind of an odd one, partly because it doesn’t have an awful lot to do with beer, and partly because, to our ears at least, Clooney appears to be channeling Christian Bale’s Batman for his single word of Japanese dialogue.
One of the worst things about being an adult is not getting to play pretend anymore–or, at the very least, getting angry looks from grumpy old neighbors when you do. Your boss is almost guaranteed not to be amused by you shouting, “The floor is lava!” and then leaping onto your desk. We suppose that’s the best reason to have a kid–no one will complain about you playing pretend with your son or daughter!
Well, one parent has taken their pretend playing with their kid to an entirely different dimension. Thanks to computer graphics skills honed through working at freaking DreamWorks, this guy has made his son’s pretend play into reality and wowed netizens across Japan while doing so.
Fans of the Sailor Moon series would probably be more than familiar with the suave male protagonist in the series, Tuxedo Mask (or Tuxedo Kamen, in Japanese). We all know him as the heroic love interest of Sailor Moon, but since the launch of these mini figurines in Japan late last month, Japanese netizens have been cracking up over pictures of Tuxedo Mask frolicking with other characters (and himself!) in some of the most bizarre poses we’ve seen him in!
Some of the best-yet-unsettling art in the world has often been created by male artists: be it Hemingway’s subtly disturbing short story, “For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn,” the dark and surreal yarns of Cormac McCarthy (We hear reading Blood Meridian automatically qualifies you as suffering from PTSD), or the insidiously impossible physics of Dalí paintings, whenever we view somewhat disturbing artistic works, we tend to assume the author is a man.
So, you’d be forgiven for thinking the drawing below comes from a male artist with a particularly tormented past:
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Oh Boy, That’s Pretty Racist (Part Two): Japanese woman explains why Taiwanese girls suck
Rumors say this is Japan’s very best McDonald’s branch, but what makes it special?[Taste test]
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Japan’s ministry of economy reminds us to “use sound judgment” before buying toilet paper
Nendroid Face Maker lets you custom design faces for Japan’s most popular anime figure lineJapan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in TokyoStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping listUniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Japan’s ministry of economy reminds us to “use sound judgment” before buying toilet paper
Nendroid Face Maker lets you custom design faces for Japan’s most popular anime figure line
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor
Kyoto’s green tea sweets capital now has matcha ramen too!【Taste test】
Japanese kindness restores our faith in humanity after a highway bus accident in Tokyo
Elephant nose ice cream: The treat with a trunk
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
Ultimate lazy chanko – Can you make Japan’s sumo wrestler hot pot stew in a rice cooker?
The three ways to say “love” in Japanese, and when to use them
Popular Japanese ramen restaurant Ichiran’s lucky bags are great value for money